Dudemeister's S&S1: The Wormwood Mutiny


Skull & Shackles

The Exchange

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Ahoy there!

Avast ye Scurvy landlubbers and harken to yon Cap'n Dudemeister (or face the edge o' me blade!).

I'll be runnin' Skull & Shackles in a couple of weeks time for some o' me crew here in the Pirate Port of Sydney. So I thought I'd share what changes I'll be makin' to the Adventure for me own edification and to give all those other Captains out there a map so they won't be sailin' blind!

First things first:

Skull and Shackles: Advanced Player's Guide

This is the guide I put together for my players. It operates under the assumption the scurvy sea dogs own a copy of Pirates of the Inner Sea, and the GM has access to yon Bestiary 3, and Ultimate Combat.

Second things next!

The new opening vignette, note I'll be doing this before we've even created characters completely.

The players need to discuss only the following with each other: What is their character's name? What is their race? What is their class?

Day 1: Sunk

Quote:

The rain patters on the deck of the Misty Mourner, the crew and other passengers and yourselves stand upon the deck watching Captain Jonas Morgan talk to the Captain of the Chelish Warship The Thrune's Fang II. The Fang II's captain, an unctuous man with a fussy mustache inspects Captain Jonas Morgan's papers. Then, looks up and squints at the man from behind his monocle.

"Everything seems to be in order, and I hope you find yourself sailing with fairer winds than these. Captain..."
"Ackles," says Captain Morgan, "Captain Shamus Ackles."
"Indeed."
With that the Chelish Captain walks up the gangplank back onto his boat.
Just as the Captain Morgan is about to give the order to release the grapnels from his ship words can be heard over the rain.
"Fire all cannons men! Burn that ship to the waterline! If that man isn't a pirate, he once was and I'll be damned to the deepest of hells if I'll let him free to commit another act of devil-blasted piracy!"
The Thrune's Fang opens up her cannon ports:
BOOOOOM! CRASH!
"Blast it all!" Yells Captain Morgan, "The Misty Mourner won't last a minute under this assault! ALL HANDS TO THE BOATS! ABANDON SHIP YOU SCABROUS DOGS, AND THAT'S AN ORDER!

If any of the PCs refuse to abandon ship Captain Morgan shakes his head and yells:

"It's a Captain's duty to go down with his ship, but it's a sailor's duty to do as Captain commands!"
If a PC is still being stubborn, he knocks the blaggard out and tells the others.
"Get off the damn ship, I've kegs of powder in the hold and ye'll not survive the blast once I set her off. With any luck neither will those thrice-damned bastards on the Fang!"

At which point the PCs should run, or be dragged away by other members of Captain Morgan's crew. The PCs have their packs thrown to them as they land on the life-boat by the cabin boy.
Other crewmembers each jump on to other boats and begin rowing away as fast as they can.

As the PCs make their getaway the Misty Mourner explodes, and wooden shards are flung in every direction, including through the sails of the Thrune's Fang II.

It'll take take time for the Fang II to repair it's sails, perhaps enough time for the PCs to get away and perhaps find land....

Day 2: A Wake For Captain Morgan

Quote:
The long night of rowing has taken its toll, you're exhausted and with no shade on the little dinghy the sun beats heavily upon ye. You might have enough food to eat for a few days, but water will be scarce, and of course boredom might drive ye mad first. Then it hits you, Captain Morgan is dead. He was a man of honor, or at least, a certain kind of honor. Still, there's a bottle of rum in the boat, and you can't go wrong with a wake for a Captain who sacrificed his life to save yours...

Each player should tell the story of how they met Captain Morgan (as determined by which Trait they choose). Particularly good stories earn the player a Swashbuckler point.

Day 3: Rolling the Bones

Quote:
The rum is gone... the water, well that's mostly gone too. There might be one swig left in the little canteen. There's only one fair way to determine who gets the last of it. Rolling the bones. Ye'll use your possessions as the ante, and whoever has the least at the end gets one last swig...

At this point players will play the Rolling the Bones game as outlined in the Skull & Shackle's Advanced Player's Guide, and then complete their character sheets.

Day 4: Become a sailor they said... see the world they said...

Quote:
Another day... passes

Have the PCs make Fortitude Saves. Describe each PC passing out from thirst and exposure in order from lowest roll to highest.

Then read the following:

Quote:

As your fellow crewmen of the lifeboat fall into unconsciousness you consider the predicament that Cheliax put you in by sinking The Misty Mourner. You swear that if you ever get a chance to avenge yourself on those bastards that left you to die, just one chance, you'll buy Besmara and Calistria some very fancy rum indeed.

Your eyes begin to close, as the sun begins to set... You suspect that this may be the last sunset you ever see... Is that a sea dragon rising up from out of the waves?

Day 5: Welcome to the Sweet Trade

Begin the rest of the AP as detailed in Skull & Shackles #1: The Wormwood Mutiny.


Very nicely done.
I really do wish now I'd held off a bit on starting my crowd's S&S campaign, as there are so many other good alternate ideas posted here to "borrow".

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thank you Fitzwalrus. Here's something you still might be able to make use of. I ran a test battle for Ship to Ship combat and found that Hp damage was taking too long.

So here's my variant.

Okay - so I've decided to make some changes to Ship to Ship combat Rules. While the movement rules work pretty great, and I'm excited to use them the Siege Weapon Rules are both clunky, confusing and slow. In an effort to keep play speedy at the "table", I'm going to revise them thusly:

When in Ship to Ship Combat Ships will use a Damage Roll vs Toughness DC mechanic.

Determining the Toughness DC

Spoiler:

The Toughness DC is equal to5 + Hardness + 1 for every 100 HP the ship or part has (round down).
For example: A Galley has Hp of 1,560 hp, its oars have 1,400 hp, and its sails have 320 hp. It has a hardness of 5.
The DC for the hull is therefore 5 (Base) + 5 (hardness) +15 (1,560/100 rounding down) = 25
The DC for the Oars is 5 (Base) + 5 (Hardness) + 14 (1,400/100 round down) = 24
The DC for the Sails is 5 (base) + 3 (320/100 round down) = 8

As you can see destroying the Sails is much easier than destroying the rest of the ship, and if you can slow the ship down then perhaps you can get close enough to board her :)


Determining The Damage Roll
Spoiler:

The Damage Roll is determined by the dice used in either the Siege Weapon, Spell or Ramming attack. For each dice used in an attack add a bonus to your Damage Roll.

d4 = +0.5
d6 = +1
d8 = +2
d10 = +3
d12 = +4

Any static bonuses gained from feats, class features, special abilities or special ammunition get added as normal. So for example: A cannon deals 6d6 damage, but the Master Gunner has "Expert Cannoneer" or somesuch feat that grants a +1 bonus per dice of damage. In this case the Damage bonus for the cannon is 6 (1+1+1+1+1+1 for d6s) + 6 (for special feat) for a total of +12.
This can also be used to determine spell-damage. A fireball dealing 10d6 damage for example has a damage bonus of +10, a 5th level burning hands has a damage bonus of +2 (5 x 0.5) (always round down).

If you fail to beat the Toughness DC: You deal a glancing blow, your shot, cannonfire or spell does only superficial damage not effecting the performance in any meaningful way.
If you beat the Toughness DC of a ship, its propulsion or steering mechanism: it is Damaged reducing its Toughness DC by 1.
If you beat the Toughness DC of a ship, its propulsion or steering mechanism by 5 or more it is Dashed, a Ship Loses half an action, its means of propulsion is halved for a round, or its steering mechanism is unusable for a turn.
If you beat the Toughness DC of a ship, its propulsion or steering mechanism by 10 or more it is Broken, if a Ship or its means of propulsion becomes broken its maximum speed is reduced to half, it takes a -2 penalty to AC, Sailing Checks, Saving Throws, Toughness DC, and Combat Maneuver checks.
If you beat the Toughnes DC of a ship by 15 or more it gains the Sinking condition. A sinking ship can not move or attack, and it sinks completely after 10 rounds of gaining the Sinking condition. Each additional hit that beats the ship's Toughness DC reduces the remaining time for it to sink by 1. A ship that sinks completely drops to the bottom of the body of water and is considered destroyed. A destroyed ship generally can not be repaired - it is so significantly damaged it cannot even be used for scrap material. Magic, such as a Make Whole spell can repair a sinking ship if the ship's Toughness DC is raised to +0 or above. Generally non-magical repairs take too long to save a ship from sinking once it begins to go down.

Loading, aiming and firing siege weapons remains the same, apart from the following exceptions:

Scoring a Critical Hit: If you roll a Critical Hit on your Attack Roll with a Siege Weapon that Weapon gains a +5 bonus to its Damage score.

Firing Broadsides: Rather than creating absurdly high damage numbers firing Broadsides adds +2 to the Damage bonus for each similar siege weapon used. Firing 3 cannons for example grants a +10 damage bonus (+6 base, and then +2 for each additional cannon after the first).


Example Ship:
Spoiler:

The Misty Mourner (Sailing Ship)
Colossal ship
Squares 3 (30 ft. by 90 ft.) Cost 10,000 gp

DEFENSE

AC 2; Hardness 5
Toughness DC 22 (sails 14)
Base Save +6

OFFENSE
Cannon +3 Damage +6 (6d6)
Broadsides: +3 Damage +10 (63)
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft.
CMB +8; CMD 18
Ramming Damage +16 (8d6)

STATISTICS
Propulsion wind or current Sailing Check Profession (sailor) Control Device steering wheel
Means of Propulsion 90 squares of sails (three masts)
Crew 20 Decks 2 or 3 Cargo/Passengers 150 tons/120 passengers


Why The Rule Change?
Spoiler:

With hp amounts in the thousands, and hundreds rolling so many dice becomes absurd and artificially lengthens Naval Combat. I want Naval Combat to be fun, and dynamic, but still want the rules to encourage grapples and boarding maneuvers (you want to loot ships, not sink them), but if you do want to sink a ship the combat will still take a few minutes and not lots of minutes.

Remember though this rule only affects Naval Combat, regular combat still uses the old fashioned method so if during personal combat you want to aim a cannon at a hapless pirate, or blast through the door of the Captains Cabin you can still roll your fist full of d6s and hope to destroy the thing.

This damage method is stolen shamelessly from Mutants and Masterminds and Unearthed Arcana.


Dotting because I love your improvements to Kingmaker.

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Here are the Character Sheets I'll be using for Skull & Shackles:

PDF FORMAT

MICROSOFT WORD FORMAT

Enjoy.

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Crew & Ship Sheets:

PDF FORMAT

MICROSOFT WORD FORMAT

Sail Together or Fall Apart!

Alright you scurvy sea dogs! Listen and listen well. At first y'ell not be much more than passengers thrown together by the tides of fate, but given time and inclination ye'll soon be working together as a unified crew. As such I'll be trackin' your XP totals as a single unit!
Each session I'll take the list of monsters killed, NPCs defeated and deeds accomplished and tally the xp total, dividing it by the number of officers/crewmembers who took part in the adventure. I'll let ye know how close ye are to yer next level and attached is a handy chart to keep track.

Spoiler:
The totals on the chart are redesigned from the normal XP chart to accomodate 5 players (which is the number of players I have in my campaign). If someone misses a session the party might level a little faster, but if everyone is present then the party will level at about the same rate. I accomplished these totals by taking the Medium XP track and multiplying the XP amounts by 1.25.

You will only be allowed to level up with at least a day of shore-leave, or with your GM's permission.

Further to that, I'll be tracking your progress as a crew.

Crew Level:

Working with a crew yields certain benefits, like the ability to work together more efficiently. At your first crew level, and every odd crew level after that the Party must pick a Teamwork feat. Every member of the crew that meets the prerequisites of the feat gains it as a bonus feat. At least one member of the crew must meet the pre-requisites of the feat in order for it to be chosen.

Example:

Spoiler:
Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann and Joshamee Gibbs complete the adventure "Curse of the Black Pearl" and gain enough XP to reach Level 2 as characters, and because they've worked together long enough they gain their first crew level. They choose Feint Partner, Jack, Will and Elizabeth each have 1 rank in Bluff, so the party qualifies and each of them may use the feat. Joshamee unfortunately does not qualify (as he lacks ranks in Bluff) so he may not use the feat. If he ever gains a rank in bluff though he may take the feat.

New Crew Members: If a character dies, and needs to be replaced (and can't be taken from the ranks of the ship's crew), then they do not gain any benefits of the Crew Level. The Crew Member may gain these benefits in the following ways.
Train with the Crew: By training with the crew for 1 week you may gain the benefits of 1 crew level. Thus it takes 4 weeks of training with the crew to gain the benefits of 4 crew levels (and thus 2 teamwork feats).
Adventuring with the Crew: Every time you gain a level as part of the crew you may gain a number of crew levels equal to a quarter of your character level, up to a maximum of the full crew level.


Considering all the drooling I've done over your Kingmaker threads I'll go ahead and dot this now. Your changes so far might be a bit extensive for a table of new players (though I'll definately steal your ship combat rules) but I'm looking forward to seeing what you do to the meat of the adventure.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I should probably warn folks that a lot of the changes I'm making to the adventures themselves will be in the form of adapting some of my favorite pirate/coastal/aquatic adventures that I've come across from Dungeon Magazine. Unfortunately since those adventures would be closed content I can't reproduce them here. I will however list the issues I'll be using so people can grab them and use them for their own games.

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Day 15: Salvage Operation - Dungeon 123

Setup:
Day 13: Have one of the Sailors, or Kroop make a remark about the Wormwood entering whaler's waters. "Great beasts of the sea hunt these waters, mark my words you'd best be on guard lest some tentacled beasty pulls you into the depths.

Day 15:

Spoiler:
Have the PC in the Rigging make a Perception Check (DC 15), if successful the PC spots sails on the horizon, South of The Wormwood's course. Beating the Check by 5 or more means the PC notices that the ship isn't moving. If the PC fails the check, or fails to report it, the PC earns 3 lashes for dereliction of duty.
When Captain Harrigan receives the report he steps out from his cabin, draws his spyglass from his pocket. Confers with Peppery Longfarthing and Mister Plugg and then says:
"Good news, me hearties, what we have over there is an opportunity. That ship is The Emperor of the Waves, reported missing and presumed sunk by the Aspis Consortium. So that means that she's holding my treasure in her belly, and I need able crewmen to get it for me. For she's listing terribly, and could sink at the bottom of the sea within the day. Sink with MY TREASURE!
Mr Plugg select an away team... and Mr Plugg, remind them that if they don't come back with me treasure they best sink with the Emperor."

Mr. Plugg uses this opportunity to select the PCs of course. He also selects one NPC crewmember to man the boat while the PCs are aboard the Emperor, a successful Bluff vs Plugg's Sense Motive allows the PCs to influence him to select either an ally or an enemy (their choice), otherwise Plugg selects someone loyal to him. With orders to row the boat away from the ship if the PCs don't come up with at least one chest full of plunder.

Changes to the Adventure:
The Aspis owned The Emperor of Waves was thrown off course during a storm and beached on one of the Cannibal Islands. Kuru cultists of Mazmezz captured the ship and turned it into a floating altar, unfortunately they ate the members of the crew who actually knew anything about sailing. They've since floated into the Fever Sea, where an ancient Giant Squid has practically wrecked the boat. The boat still boasts a number of potent magic items from the Mwangi expanse, if the PCs are quick and clever enough to retrieve the chest.

Area 2: (CR 1-2) If you have 6 PCs use a Giant Whiptail Centipede, also do so if your PCs are level 2. Otherwise use a Hissing Centipede instead.

Area 3: Giant Spider Treasure: In addition the charts in this room detail a shipping lane for a ship called The Man's Promise

Area 4: Giant Spider

Area 5: If the PCs haven't been very successful at retrieving any alchemist's fire or don't have access to much in the way of AoE magic then replace the Spider Swarm here with 4-6 Bilge Spiders

Area 6: The Zombies in this chamber are Kuru zombies. Replace the Slam Attack with a Bite Attack (dealing the same damage), additionally describe the way it seems their teeth have been filed down to points.

Area 7: No change.

Area 8: No change.

Area 9: No change.

Area 10:

Spoiler:

Krell Grohlg
XP 800
Kuru Swamp Druid of Mazzmezz 4
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 21 (4d8+4)
Fort+5, Ref +6, Will +6 (+4 vs.Supernatural/Spell-Like abilities of Monstrous Humanoids)
Special Defenses: Blood Courage (roll twice vs. fear 1/day), DR 2/- vs Swarm Damage
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +7 (1d6+3), Bite +2 (1d6+3 plus cannibalistic vitality)
Special Attacks Venomous Bite – Bite deals 1d6 Str Damage, Fortitude (DC 14 negates).
Domain
Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +7)
2nd— summon swarmD, heat metal, warp wood
1st— 3 – Magic FangD, cure light wounds, air bubble, shillelagh
0 (at will)— Guidance, know direction, create water, spark
D=Domain spell; Domains Vermin
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Combat Casting, Lightning Reflexes
Special Abilities: Marshwright, Swamp Strider, Pond Scum, Vermin Empathy
Skills Craft (Alchemy) +6, Handle Animal +8, Swim +10
Languages Mwangi, Polyglot
Gear +1 hide armor, masterwork club, shrunken head of the mage (as hand of the mage), Feather Token (Whip), potion of barkskin (+2), oil of shillelagh, 3 potions of Cure Light Wounds.

Area 11: No Change.

Area 12: Cargo Hold. Change Treasure as Follows:
The box weighs 250 lbs, and is large enough to require two arms to carry. Two characters may carry the box, in which case treat them as carrying 125 lbs each (in regards to encumbrance penalties).

Event: The Death of the Emperor

Spoiler:

Use the following stats for the sick old giant squid:
Sick Old Giant Squid
XP 1,200
N Huge animal (aquatic)
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +20
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+0 Dex, +9 natural, –2 size)
hp 42 (12d8-12)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3
Defensive Ability ink cloud (20-ft. radius)
OFFENSE
Speed swim 60 ft., jet 260 ft.
Melee bite +9 (2d6+2), 2 arms +9 (1d6+2), tentacles +7 (4d6-2/19-20 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (30 ft. with arms and tentacles)
Special Attacks constrict (4d6+5)
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 11, Con 8, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Base Atk +9; CMB +11 (+17 grapple); CMD 25
Feats Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (tentacle),Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, MultiattackB, Skill Focus(Perception)
Skills Perception +20, Swim +10

Exhausted -6 Str & Dex, can not run or charge. (Already calculated above)
Sickened -2 Attack Rolls, Damage Rolls, Saves and Skills.

The Escape: If the PCs manage to get to the Deck, but didn't convince Mr Plugg to send an ally, then the crew member manning the boat is rapidly trying to make ready to row away without the PCs. Otherwise if the NPC is one that is friendly to the players then they are waiting just a little longer for the PCs to show up.

Development:

If the PCs manage to retrieve the Treasure Chest from Area 12 they are allowed to keep any of the other treasures they picked up aboard The Emperor of the Waves, furthermore Captain Harrigan himself commends the PCs and gives them each a bottle of cure light wounds or potion of jump.
If the PCs present the Captain with the charts to The Man's Promise's shipping lane then the Captain gives the PCs each a 20 gp stipend.

If the PCs return without the Treasure chest from Area 12, Harrigan is annoyed at the day wasted and orders that the PCs receive 6 lashes each for their laziness.

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Prologue: One Misty Mourning

Rain spattered upon the deck of the Misty Mourner, the sailors eyed the Chelish Captain with wary suspicion. The Chelish Navy was powerful even in the free waters of the Shackles, and with the secret of gunpowder stolen from Alkenstar many a ship in the Chelish navy had found itself fitted with a powerful compliment of cannons.

"Everything seems to be in order, and I hope you find yourself sailing with fairer winds than these. Captain..."
"Ackles," spake Captain Morgan, "Captain Shamus Ackles."
"Indeed."

The Chelish Captain walked up the gangplank back onto his boat. The crew breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet, just as the Captain Morgan was about to give the order to release the grapnels from his ship words could be heard over the patter of rain.
"Fire all cannons men! Burn that ship to the waterline! If that man isn't a pirate, he once was and I'll be damned to the deepest of hells if I'll let him free to commit another act of devil-blasted piracy!"
The Thrune's Fang opened up her cannon ports:
BOOOOOM! CRASH!
"Blast it all!" Yells Captain Morgan, "The Misty Mourner won't last a minute under this assault! ALL HANDS TO THE BOATS! ABANDON SHIP YOU SCABROUS DOGS, AND THAT'S AN ORDER!

Four members of Morgan's crew leapt to, and needed little convincing to man the emergency boat. Lowering themselves down into the ocean the mighty half-orc woman, and an imperious looking Tengu began rowing with all their might. The hull of the Misty Mourner shattering to splinters in their wake. Then after less than a minute of bombardment. A mighty explosion caused the dinghy to bob from the waves. The Misty Mourner's powder had gone up, lit by Morgan no doubt, to give the boats more time to escape. Whether by luck or Besmara's blessing the sails of the Thrune's Fang II were burning and torn. Morgan's Crew had a small chance of survival.

The four aboard the dinghy were:

Peter Backbeard - Male Dwarf Witch: Hunting for the ancient secrets of Ghol-Gan, Peter signed on to the Misty Mourner under Captain Jonas Morgan in the hopes of meeting a contact in Port Peril about a map. A tiny dinosaur rests atop his shoulder, and his long back-hairs seem to move of their own accord.

Sally Dread-Morgan - Female Half Elf Buccaneer (Bard): A storyteller from Port Peril, Sally signed on to Captain Morgan's ship in order to learn the Captain's life story, and to learn if they were indeed related.

Buttons - Female Half-Orc Juju Oracle: Called by the wendifa to the ocean, Buttons is named so for the bizarre collection of buttons she keeps, some of which she sews onto raggedy dolls for her own inscrutable reasons. Captain Morgan took her aboard the ship believing "Having juju sea spirits on your side might be worth a button or two."

Samrow Seaspirit- Male Tengu Corsair (Fighter) - Signed on to Captain Morgan's ship in the hopes of becoming an officer, Captain Morgan hired Seaspirit to absorb the bad-luck aboard the ship (a job he is still doing aboard his new boat).

The days were long, and while they told stories over rum, to keep down the boredom, soon the rum was almost gone. They rolled the bones to determine who would get the last swig, and though Sally Dread-Morgan lost many of her fine possessions to her fellow boatmembers, the taste of rum was oh-so-sweet.

But then another day passes in the heat, without shade. Even watered, the unrelenting heat caused each to pass out in turn. First Samrow, insulated by his fine black feathers, then Sally, with her slight elf-blooded frame, and then Buttons passed out mumbling about the wendifa. Peter Backbeard was last, but upon the horizon he spotted a sea serpent?

...

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Sweet Trade

The crew of the Mourner found themselves rudely awoken by a savage looking man with a long black beard, and cracking a whip to punctuate his points.
"Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Captain Harrigan flays the flesh into sausages and has Fishguts fry you up for breakfast!"

Half-dazed the crew realized that they had been rescued from death by a crew of pirates, and there would be no illusions they had been press-ganged onto the crew.

The Mourners raced upstairs to the Main Deck where they learned that they served on The Wormwood under Captain Barnabas Harrigan, not that they would be speaking to the man. They were given to Mr. Plugg to shape into pirates as he saw fit. He quickly made it clear to the party that they were to obey without question and the smartmouthed Backbeard earned his first lash for insubordination at that point. Ordered to climb the rigging to determine who had the skill to serve as a Rigger on the ship, Buttons proved herself more than able to perform the task (rolling two twenties in a row to make the accelerated climb checks).

Plugg then asked for a volunteer to serve as cook. Backbeard volunteered, if only to get out from Scourge's zealous punishments. "If I find even one hair in my soup, I'll flay you alive got it." Threatened Plugg.

Sally Dread-Morgan, and the Tengu Samrow were made swabbies, their first task to catch rats below decks. Samrow tried to use the opportunity to look around, letting his work suffer severely (rolled a 2). Sally on the other hand worked diligently at her task to catch as many rats as possible.

Meanwhile in the rigging Buttons was having the time of her life making the repairs needed to keep the ship in sailing trim (rolled a 19 on her Dex check. Button's dex mod is -1.)

In the kitchen Backbeard bluffed Kroop telling the old cook that he was in charge. Kroop found that hilarious, and said: "Well then Master Cook, if you're so smart then you'll at the very least know how to fish for turtles. So why don't you go and do that." Working diligently Backbeard managed to catch enough Sea-Turtles to make stew that night.

The day seemed to pass quickly as the clock struck its terrible tone. Samnell was brought up for shirking his duties and received 3 lashes from the whip-happy Master Scourge. Then came the main event. A sailor by the name of Jakes Magpie was keelhauled, dragged beneath the ship on a terrifying deadly trip. The price paid for stealing from his crew-mates, by the end all that was left of him was a messed up mass of pulped flesh.

That evening Sally Dread-Morgan and Buttons drank deeply of their rum ration. Buttons fell almost immediately ill and rushed to a hammock to sleep off the booze. Sally slurred her way through their origin tale, drawing a few interested listeners among the crew, but no new friends. Samnell and Backbeard sipped their ration, and while Samnell went straight to his hammock in the hopes of sleeping off some of his wounds, Backbeard challenged the only other dwarf on the crew "Narwhal" Tate to an arm wrestling match. He used a touch of fatigue in the hopes of weakening Narwhal, but the Dwarf sailor seemed resistant to the magic. His strength though was no match for the mighty Backbeard, and the dwarf with the animated back hair one a pouch of gold and silver for his troubles. Still though, he was beginning to grow worried about the whereabouts of his familiar.

Thus ended the first day upon the Wormwood, the first of many to come...

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Making the Wormwood Special

The Wormwood is not a large ship by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a good ship with a long storied past. Much of it forgotten. Of greatest interest is the clock which sits upon the Main Mast, tolling at dawn to awaken the crew for their duties, and at dusk to remind them of the bloody hour.

The Wormwood Clock
Aura: strong conjuration (summoning) CL 20th
Slot: None Weight: 10 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

This macabre brass-and-copper clock depicts worms writhing through whale corpses. The clock makes a heavy reverberating tick each second, and chimes with haunting bells at dawn and dusk. The Wormwood Clock also has another purpose. Within is trapped the soul of Barnabas Harrigan, and as long as it ticks Barnabas Harrigan will never be free of the bargain he made to save his life from his Chelish captors, or even this mortal coil. This clock is an anchor that weighs Harrigan to this world. Unfortunately stopping its infernal ticking is as difficult as freeing the trapped soul within. Each week the clock torments Harrigan's soul, causing the pirate intense physical and spiritual agony, but the Clock can be appeased. As each punishment performed before the clock eases the torment on Harrigan's soul.
As long as the clock ticks Harrigan has the following qualities:

Unstoppable: If Harrigan starts his turn suffering from any or all of the following conditions, he recovers from them at the end of its turn: blind, confused, dazed, deafened, dazzled, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, sickened, slowed, staggered, and stunned.

DR 15/Lawful Evil: Nigh unkillable by most weapons Harrigan's diabolic masters left him with a weakness to the weapons they favor best.

Immunity: ability damage, aging, bleed, disease, energy drain, fire, mind-affecting effects, negative levels, paralysis, permanent wounds, petrification, poison, and polymorph.

SR 11+HD: Harrigan is resistant to magic except spells with [lawful] or [evil] descriptors.

Vulnerability to Miracle or Wish A spell effect created by a miracle or wish spell is particularly effective against Harrigan. A spellcaster gains a +6 bonus on its caster level check to penetrate Harrigan’s SR with a miracle or wish spell, and Harrigan suffers a –6 penalty on saves against these spells. A miracle or a wish spell can negate Harrigan’s DR, but only for 1d4 days per casting.
______________________________________________________________________
DESTRUCTION:
______________________________________________________________________

Harrigan's soul can be freed from the clock in one of two ways.
The First is the PCs must feed the clock to a Thalassic Behemoth. Doing so destroys the clock permanently, and Harrigan's soul with it. Harrigan loses all of the above abilities, and begins aging at a rate of 1 year per day. Being soulless there is a chance that Harrigan may rise as an undead creature after his death.
The second is to use a wish or miracle spell to wish Harrigan's soul returned to him before feeding the clock to the Thalassic Behemoth.

The Wormwood Dreams

First Dream: Fishing for Hope
If you have a Juju Oracle, A Cleric of Besmara, a character with Besmara's Blessing or the Touched by the Sea trait then on any night where they take a full-night's rest instead of any other night time actions send them this dream.

You are a child of about 7, sitting at the end of a pier with a long fishing rod, the line dangling in the water, it's weight bobbing lazily. You're watching the ships in the distance, while your mother a kind-eyed mwangi woman untangles and repairs fishing nets on the pier behind you.
"Yoho, yoho, trim the sails and roam the sea..."
You have the feeling she expects you to sing the next line. She waits patiently as a massive heartbeat seems to throb with each moment.

At this point the PC can pretty much sing anything, but a DC 10 Perform Check reveals that they should sing something that ends with a rhyme for sea. (Such as: "Yoho, yoho! Bring my rum it's a pirate's life for me!")
If the PC doesn't rhyme they awaken, feeling a little seasick. Feel free to repeat the dream every night until the PC figures out they need to rhyme.

If the PC rhymes read the following:
Your mother smiles and says: "Dwali, watch de fish, I tink you caught sometin'"
You turn to see your fishing rod is bending alarmingly.

The PC must make a Strength check DC 20 (describe the PC wrestling with the catch), a Profession (Fisherman) check DC 15 (describe the PC trying to reel the fish in), or a Sense Motive Check DC 20 (describe the PC getting the strange sensation that she needs to remember this). If the PC succeeds on two of these checks then describe her pulling with all her might and drawing out The Wormwood from beneath the water itself, the fearsome ship has a touch of destiny about it. (+1 to their next day's job check)
If the PC fails at least two of these checks describe the fishing rod being pulled from her hands and a feeling of emptiness as if all your hopes had been stolen from you. (-1 to their next day's job check)
If the PC fails all three checks describe the PC being pulled under water, the hook of the rod trapped in the wormwood's draconic bowspirit the PC feels like they are drowning and awakens spitting seawater with Fips Chumlett's fat face leering as he holds a bucket over the PC's head, still dripping seawater. (PC is fatigued the next day).


I like DM's ideas about Harrigan and the Ship's Clock - a lot - but (not having seen the 4th and 5th AP books yet) I wonder how well this will mesh with whatever revelations are to come regarding Harrigan and his connections to Cheliax?

Can anybody shed any light here? I gather that some folks have seen the next two books already, or at least appear to be aware of the primarly plot developments....

Shadow Lodge

Love the ideas about the clock. Definitely stealing those.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

It pretty much works with what's written. Harrigan was captured by Cheliax and chose to make a deal to save his own skin (and gain power in the bargain). The clock is my way of keeping him honest in his Chelish deal. Harrigan could have gone straight to the pirate lords and perhaps become a free Captain if he reported Cheliax. By making a bargain with the devil and sealing his soul within the clock that option was barred from Harrigan. The clock grants him power, but the price is huge.

In my game Harrigan is a conflicted man, on the cusp of achieving his greatest dreams he lost to Cheliax. He is a traitor to his own values more than to The Shackles, he traded his own freedom for power. Essentially Cheliax and Kerdak Bonefist are the real "villains" of this AP. I want to give the PCs an opportunity to "redeem" Harrigan into the foul-smelling, grog-swilling, plunder-loving pirate he should be rather than Cheliax's little punk.

Sczarni

Adopting the clock lock, stock, and barrel.

Also you made Paizo $3.71 for the PDF of Dungeon 123.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I'll have to put up my list of Dungeon mags I'll be using so people can grab the PDFs while they're on sale :-) I'll put them up tonight.

Scarab Sages

I'd love to see which adventures you're going to be adding in! (dot)

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Hey all, you can find my recommendations HERE.

I decided to build a dedicated thread for it, because I'm likely to spread any conversions I do throughout my various Dudemeister's S&S threads.

Grand Lodge

Awesome ideas!


Dot


I may have missed this, but have you made any alterations to therum rules? You mention drinking deeply - does that incur the penalty while just sipping doesn't? Does sipping grant any bonus?

Thanks for sharing all your hard work!

Silver Crusade

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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Oh, I thought I posted it, but perhaps I didn't.

Rum Action

Tip over the side: DC 10 Stealth Check. No bonus/penalty. Lashings on a failed check.

Sip/Make Grog A pirate often waters the rum down with water, ale, or whatever other liquid might be handy/less potent (kerosene). A pirate who nurses his rum, or dilutes it to make Grog makes a DC 10 Fortitude Save, or is fatigued. 8 hours rest removes this fatigue. (Essentially failure means the PC needs to rest for a full night). This is a poison effect.

Drink Deeply/Scoll A true pirate drinks his rum and likes it! He makes a Fortitude save at DC 15 or takes 1d3-1 Con Damage. He also gains a 1d4 alchemical bonus to Charisma for 8 hours (pass or failure). The next morning the PC must make a DC 10 will save or be fatigued until the PC can get 8 hours rest. This is a poison effect.


These are great! I wish I had some of these before I started running S&S. I'll be making use of the upgraded Harrigan (along with giving him a heartripper blade as some other areas suggest), the different combat rules for ships and a few of the side quests you mentioned.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I am just finished book 1. I'll post a story hour sometime during the week.

I have to say, role-playing Plugg and Scourge was one of the most satisfying and horrifying experiences of my life. They are easily the most foul, base, disgusting villains I have ever portrayed, and I pulled no punches.
Their defeat at the hands of my amazing, talented and creative group of miscreant players was one of the more satisfying moments of my GMing career. Scourge's brain splattered across the deck beneath Crimson's heel, and Plugg reduced to a ghoul slave of the ever intimidating Buttons is nothing less than such foul wretches deserve. Well done my players you've done me proud.


Dotting yet another Dudemeister thread :)

Grand Lodge

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

Making the Wormwood Special

The Wormwood is not a large ship by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a good ship with a long storied past. Much of it forgotten. Of greatest interest is the clock which sits upon the Main Mast, tolling at dawn to awaken the crew for their duties, and at dusk to remind them of the bloody hour.

The Wormwood Clock
Aura: strong conjuration (summoning) CL 20th
Slot: None Weight: 10 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

This macabre brass-and-copper clock depicts worms writhing through whale corpses. The clock makes a heavy reverberating tick each second, and chimes with haunting bells at dawn and dusk. The Wormwood Clock also has another purpose. Within is trapped the soul of Barnabas Harrigan, and as long as it ticks Barnabas Harrigan will never be free of the bargain he made to save his life from his Chelish captors, or even this mortal coil. This clock is an anchor that weighs Harrigan to this world. Unfortunately stopping its infernal ticking is as difficult as freeing the trapped soul within. Each week the clock torments Harrigan's soul, causing the pirate intense physical and spiritual agony, but the Clock can be appeased. As each punishment performed before the clock eases the torment on Harrigan's soul.
As long as the clock ticks Harrigan has the following qualities:

Unstoppable: If Harrigan starts his turn suffering from any or all of the following conditions, he recovers from them at the end of its turn: blind, confused, dazed, deafened, dazzled, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, sickened, slowed, staggered, and stunned.

DR 15/Lawful Evil: Nigh unkillable by most weapons Harrigan's diabolic masters left him with a weakness to the weapons they favor best.

Immunity: ability damage, aging, bleed, disease, energy drain, fire, mind-affecting effects, negative levels, paralysis, permanent wounds, petrification, poison, and polymorph.

SR 11+HD: Harrigan is resistant to magic except...

Does the Wormwood Clock make Harrigan a lich or some form of undead? How does the Wormwood Clock differ from a phylactery?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

He's not undead, and the clock is not a phylactery. It gives Harrigan a bunch of powerful defensive abilities, to keep him alive. If he's dead the soul stays in the clock, so if someone of the Lawful Evil alignment casts Raise Dead or Resurrection, they can guarantee his soul hasn't been judged by Pharasma nor can Harrigan refuse the Rez.

Grand Lodge

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
He's not undead, and the clock is not a phylactery. It gives Harrigan a bunch of powerful defensive abilities, to keep him alive. If he's dead the soul stays in the clock, so if someone of the Lawful Evil alignment casts Raise Dead or Resurrection, they can guarantee his soul hasn't been judged by Pharasma nor can Harrigan refuse the Rez.

Just trying to figure out if there is anything similar in Pathfinder to the Wormwood Clock and how it works. The Trap the soul spell also traps the material body in addition to the soul in a gem. While Soul bind draws the soul of a newly dead body into a gem.


Starfinder Superscriber

Dotting for future reference as well!


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
TritonOne wrote:
DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:
He's not undead, and the clock is not a phylactery. It gives Harrigan a bunch of powerful defensive abilities, to keep him alive. If he's dead the soul stays in the clock, so if someone of the Lawful Evil alignment casts Raise Dead or Resurrection, they can guarantee his soul hasn't been judged by Pharasma nor can Harrigan refuse the Rez.
Just trying to figure out if there is anything similar in Pathfinder to the Wormwood Clock and how it works. The Trap the soul spell also traps the material body in addition to the soul in a gem. While Soul bind draws the soul of a newly dead body into a gem.

Maybe a botched casting of Trap the Soul?


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Hi Dudemeister,

Hopefully you're still reading this...not sure of I missed something. I was looking at your alternative ship combat and wondering how ships damage each other? Looking at your example ship, it couldn't damage its sails with a broadsides. Is there extra damage that I'm missing?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

The Broadsides have a +10 damage bonus, the sails have a Toughness DC of 14. Therefore your broadsides have a 75% chance of damaging the sails. Damage rolls are 1d20+Damage bonus.

The above ship has a 40% chance of dealing damage to the hull.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Thanks for clarifying it. I may have missed it but I'm not sure its stated that a d20 roll is made for damage. That is after you roll for a hit?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Sorry yes, I might not have made that clear because it's cribbed from the Mutants and Masterminds rules.

errata wrote:


After you roll Attack against the target's AC, if you succeed roll 1d20+Damage Modifier a0gainst the opposing ship's Toughness DC.

This replaces the normal damage roll against the targets hp.

Grand Lodge

Hi! Did you do similar topics for the other chapters? I could restart this campaign with my group and since 2 of them already played the first chapter I would like to change things up a little bit (and I will surely use this version).

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Sadly no, the group sort of fell apart right after the end of Book 1. Scourge got his head stomped literally, and Plugg was turned into a Ghoul under the control of the Juju Oracle.

Fortunately one of my players started a new Skull and Shackles game, which I joined as a player. Good times.

Scarab Sages

I'm sorry to hear your campaign folded, but I'm glad you got to play through the rest of the story, Dudemeister.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I hope to run it again sometime in the future, we only just reached book 2 in the one I'm playing in. I'm the Captain now of the Broken Promise :)


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Great stuff, dotting in case I run this ap someday.

Grand Lodge

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I restarted my S&S game Yesterday and I am adding all this stuff in It, then for the 2nd book I'll use Plunder And Peril and the stuff from legendary games then I'll edit book 6 (reversing it).


DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

The Wormwood Dreams

First Dream: Fishing for Hope

You haven't happened to have written more of these have you?


I find your ideas about Harrigan's past fantastic. I'm so curious about those dreams. You wrote any more of those? Even if you didn't, could you tell me what was the story behind it? I assumed it has to do with Harrigan's past, but where does it go after dream one?

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I'm sorry no, I was only going to do one per book. The idea being that I'd slowly reveal Harrigan's backstory to the PCs.

Each would be a kind of skill challenge wrapped in a metaphor set in a memory. If that helps?

Each one would hopefully help the PCs understand Harrigan a bit more each time. I wanted Harrigan to come across as a bit more sympathetic and tragic, with the possibility of "redeeming" him.

Plus our Juju Oracle Buttons, slept with him in book one, so I wanted to add a connection there.


DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

I'm sorry no, I was only going to do one per book. The idea being that I'd slowly reveal Harrigan's backstory to the PCs.

Each would be a kind of skill challenge wrapped in a metaphor set in a memory. If that helps?

Each one would hopefully help the PCs understand Harrigan a bit more each time. I wanted Harrigan to come across as a bit more sympathetic and tragic, with the possibility of "redeeming" him.

Plus our Juju Oracle Buttons, slept with him in book one, so I wanted to add a connection there.

I thought it would be so, but didn't knew if you modified his backstory to better fit the changes.

Since my campaign started I've played Harrigan more as a stoic, severe leader who lived a pretty harsh life and knows no other way of survival but through violence. We have scum like Plugg to be despised, so I made Harrigan a respectable villain, someone capable of decency and honour but made several bad choices until it's too late to turn back. I wish I had seen your posts before, but the clock fits so well that I'm going to include anyway, even if a little late

Thank you for sharing your creativity with everyone! Not only GM stuff but the game journal as well. Reading that gave me some ideas ^^


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I know that I'm a little late to the party but I've been using a lot of these changes as well and have to thank you on how well its gone to improving the game for me and my players. Since my players tend to write pretty comprehensive backstories I'm never short on potential villains and I also wanted to make Harrigan more of a sympathetic villan and maybe even potential ally if all the pieces fall in place.

To that end I was very interested in the Wormwood dream you posted and I didn't have anyone as tied to Harrigan as your juju oracle but I do have one player who has a history of visions in his backstory and this gave me enough to justify giving him the dreams.

We just started book two last night and while I don't consider myself to be as adept at this as you are here is what I came up with:

Second Dream: Winds of Change

You are a young adolescent on the cusp of manhood, kneeling with your four brothers and sisters inside of your mud and straw hut, the summer heat and humidity filling the room with an uncomfortable mugginess. The five of you are all looking down at your mother, a Mwangi woman lying on the dirt floor of the hut with her eyelids only halfway open, in between deep breaths she says to you,
"Dwali, go on, be free liek de fish."

After this the group begins to lowly hum,
"I am not a pirate but I long to be...."

Once again the PC must rhyme with this line, and a DC 10 perform check reveals a feeling of intuition that this is what must be done. For example the PC could sing, "I drink my rum and like it that's the life for me!"

If the PC manages to come up with a rhyme read the following to them:
After you finish this line you feel a massive heartbeat from within your own chest and suddenly find yourself on the deck of merchant schooner. An authoritarian man in front of you gives you orders to climb the mainmast and take watch from the crows nest for the day.

The PC must succeed on a DC 15 climb check or a DC 10 profession (sailor) check to climb the mainmast and take up their position in the crows nest. Once they get to the top, describe the fair skies and refreshing breeze in their face as they can see for miles out into the open sea.
After this have the PC make a DC 20 Perception, Survival or Sense Motive check. If the PC succeeds tell them that as they are scanning the horizon they see a ship approaching from the North. Then the PC must make a DC 15 Profession (sailor) (describe them quickly shimmying to a better position in the rigging and waving to an officer), DC 20 Bluff (describe them using the ropes and rigging to gain a swab's attention) or DC 20 Intelligence check (describe them yelling in a way that the wind carries their voice) to alert the crew below. If the PC succeeds give them a +2 to their next profession sailor check.
The first thing that the PC notices about the approaching ship is its figurehead, a menacing dragon. Then as the ship nears either have the PC notice the nameplate or overhear other crew members talking about the name of the ship, the Wormwood. Describe that when the PC sees/hears the word Wormwood they feel their heart beat massively again as they suddenly wake up.

If the PC fails to climb the mast or see the ship on the horizon they receive lashes for a poor job (dazzled for the next day)
If the PC fails to alert the crew about the oncoming ship say that they lose their footing and fall from the crow's nest, waking up just before hitting the deck (Seasick the next day if at sea, fatigued if on land).

I am running the dreams as a manifestation of Harrigan's soul attempting to communicate with one of the PC's. His soul is only able to communicate through emotion and memories, many of which become jumbled up and mixed together. Not all of the dreams will have singing segments but I liked it so much the first time that I chose to use it again. It's a little longer than the first dream that you wrote, but I want to pack in as much information as I can and since my players tend to need the extra exposition.

Full Disclosure: The first line of the song in the beginning of this dream was shamefully stolen from here.


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I just want to chime in here and say, wow. These ideas have got to be some of the best I've seen on the Skull & Shackles forums. Dudemeister, I know that you are currently a player in this campaign, but please feel free to share whatever gems come out of that extremely creative brain of yours!

pipedreamsam: that's some good stuff there. Keep it going!


Cesare wrote:
pipedreamsam: that's some good stuff there. Keep it going!

Thanks, my game is still going strong, we took a break for a couple months but will be starting up again this week. I plan on posting the rest of the dreams here as they come up in my campaign. So far my dream receiving player hasn't quite caught on to what they're all about yet but I expect that the change with the next one.


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So its taken quite a long time but my group has finally gotten through book 3 and my lucky player got his third dream. For my group the best place to have this dream take place was the night before the regatta, though I suppose it could also happen during the PCs time in Port Peril since they have a run in with Caulky and would know that Harrigan is in the area.

Third Dream: Paying Your Dues

You are a young man standing in chains in the middle of a circular domed room, situated high atop the boardwalks of a mangrove tree.

If the player has never been to this city before they may make a DC 10 knowledge check to identify it as Bloodcove, otherwise they are able to recognize it automatically.

You have just been found guilty of theft from both the Aspis Consortium and the Government of Bloodcove. The judge, presiding above you, resounds to you with the following,
"Before I pass the sentence for these crimes; do you wish to say anything on your behalf?"

The player may make a DC 15 Diplomacy check to attempt to have the judge go easy on them or a DC 20 Bluff check to appeal that they are innocent. If the player succeeds on Diplomacy, describe the judge pausing briefly, as if in thought. If the player succeeds on the bluff check, have the judge respond that he wishes to believe the player, but the evidence speaks for itself.

If the player succeeds, they gain a +2 on their next check to increase their ship's infamy, if they fail they take a -2.

Regardless of the outcome, the judge responds with,
"Very well, the sentence is two years time in the militia"

If the PC failed his check from before have the judge inform the PC that he's lucky they don't hang him.

You now find yourself down by the docks, the red water of a nearby river pouring from its mouth into the sea. A man stands before you, his diamond earring glinting in the moonlight instructs you with the following,
"Ye get tem crates for me Dwali, and ye can be shure they'll be a place fer ye on me ship when yer stint is dun."

The player must now make either a DC 20 Stealth check, a DC 15 disguise check, or a DC 15 Intimidate check. If the player succeeds on the stealth check describe them slipping into the holding area for the crates and making off with the cargo during the guards shift change. If the Player succeeds on the disguise check describe them disguising themselves as the guards officer and taking advantage of the low light during night time, instructing the guards to move the crates down to the docks for a last minute high priority client. If the player succeeds on the intimidate check, describe them threatening and bribing one of the guards into helping him move the crates to the dock, then killing him with the help of his client once the job is done.

If the player succeeds on this portion, it is discovered the next day that some of the plunder on their ship is worth more than originally thought, granting the players an extra point of plunder to spend. If the player fails, a leak in the ship causes seawater to seep in and ruin one point of plunder.

Late in the dead of night the gnawing pangs of hunger keep you from sleeping while you lie in your hammock, swinging slightly back and forth, dim light filtering in just enough to see the lines between the boards above your head. Exhausted and sore, you do not think that you will last another day without eating. Holding a rock hard wafer of ship's biscuit in your hand, you think back to just a few hours when the cook's mate handed it to you, and the weevil larvae you could see crawling through it like diseased worms. With no other option, you decide to eat.

Have the PC make followed by a DC 10 constitution check followed by a DC 15 fortitude save. Regardless on whether or not the PC succeeds, describe them gagging on the tasteless pablum as they choke it down.

As you swallow the last bit of ship's biscuit you experience a single forcefully intense heartbeat, pounding louder than the sea beneath you with a noise identical to that of a ticking clock.

If the PC succeeded on their checks describe them peacefully falling asleep (+1 on their next fortitude save or permanent +1 to Constitution if you're that kind of DM). If they failed then describe them rushing above-deck to vomit into the sea before anyone sees them (nauseated for the next day).

This dream was a difficult one for me to write, mainly because I had the challenge of not wanting to make it too long, but at the same time wishing to include as much as I could. There's scrapped scene where I had the player go through Dwali's first interaction with real pirates, where they gang up on and mug him of everything he owns (including the ragged shirt off his back) at knife-point.

Really I do think that this dream is probably too long and the final third could be worked into the fourth dream instead. However, since I haven't written the fourth dream yet, I decided to include it here just in case I come up with a really good idea between now and then. Aside from that I've always had a fascination with hardtack and the fact that people's diets used to consist of nothing but the stuff for months on end. I have been determined to do something regarding the universally reviled "Tooth-dullers" at some point in the AP and to me this seemed like the best place for it. If you decide to cut this part simply add a scene at the end of the second part where Dwali shakes hands with the diamond stud man and feels the same heartbeat from the third part as the ship sails away.

Overall this dream was a lot more linear and straight-forward than the last two, because in addition to my weak metaphor skills I don't want my player to end up too confused by these dreams. For the next dream I plan on a few scenes; Dwali changing his name to Harrigan, Harrigan losing his eye, and Harrigan becoming the first mate. Honestly, I haven't decided on whether or not I want to include the fact that Harrigan served time on Sea Wasp before the Wormwood as it seems like a superfluous detail I could spend somewhere else or at the very least omit.

Alternatively the gradually lengthening dreams could be interpreted as the growing desperation of Harrigan's trapped soul and the PCs deepening connection with it.

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